Biohazard Containment and Safety

Most requested information

Highlights

Information

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency works with Agency scientists and technical experts to establish the biocontainment levels, procedures and protocols that are needed to work safely with animal and zoonotic pathogens, chemical hazards, and plant pests of quarantine significance, and to protect laboratory staff, the Canadian public, and the environment.

As of April 1, 2013, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is now the single window for stakeholders who require an import permit for both human and terrestrial animal pathogens. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) continues to issue permits for animal pathogens that are not indigenous to Canada (pathogens causing foreign animal and emerging animal diseases), aquatic and plant pathogens as well as for animals, animal products and by-products, tissue, sera and blood that are infected with animal pathogens.